Young Adults
Seventeen-year-old Mattie Gokey yearns to leave her poor life in the Northern Woods for a chance to attend Barnard College in New York City on a full scholarship. Her pa is none too pleased. But even scholarships don’t pay for room and board, books and a train ticket. Then there is the promise she made to her dying mother to take care of the family. Should she live out her dream to be a writer, even though she may wind up alone, or marry the cutest boy in town and settle down to becoming a farmer’s wife?
Amidst these decisions, she has another. A guest of the hotel where Mattie works to save money and support her family gives her a bunch of letters and tells her to burn them. When the guest, Grace Brown, turns up dead, should she do as she was asked or dig deeper? Donnelly was inspired the historically true murder of Grace Brown in 1906.
Throughout the novel, Mattie must figure out who she is and what is really important to her, as well as whether or not she has the strength to live out any choice she makes. Two separate narratives take us through Mattie’s life, from the time of Grace Brown and a few months before. This device may be a little confusing at first, but readers should soon settle in, especially after being forewarned.
Mattie and every character that she comes in contact with is complicated, believable and purposeful. They lead you through the novel like a flowing lake, always moving yet constant and beautiful. Even the less savory characters are fleshed out to reality. There is a lot of truth in this novel, and that is something that I think is missing in a lot of fiction for today, especially that written for young adults.
While there is so much merit to this novel, parents should be warned that there are a number of sexual situations and some mature content.
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